Page 39 of Dangers of Love

No. I needed to face things head-on, no matter what was coming.

She must have been waiting for me to give some sort of indication that I was ready because she didn’t speak until I asked, “What is it?”

“You’re pregnant.”

I sank down on a chair. I wasn’t really surprised. I’d suspected as much from the moment she’d told me to get the test. I’d felt it, in some way I couldn’t quite explain, and then it’d been all but confirmed when she’d told me about the IUD having moved.

Somehow, it still shocked me.

“Aline?”

“I’m here.” My voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

“I know this wasn’t expected,” she continued, “and you don’t have to decide anything right this second. In fact, my advice would be to not make any decisions for at least a couple days. You have time to process and make sure that what you’re doing is truly what you want.”

I found myself nodding, even though she couldn’t see me. “Yes. That’s good. Yes.”

“Are you okay?”

The concern in her voice jarred me out of my daze enough to realize that I needed to give her a coherent statement to let her know that I wasn’t going to pass out or something like that.

“I’m okay,” I said. “You’re right about not making an impulsive decision. I’ll take the rest of the weekend and most likely get back to you on Monday, if that would work.”

I didn’t know why I was almost asking her, as if I needed her permission or approval.

“You have time,” she repeated. “Talk it over with anyone you need to and call if you have any questions.”

“I will,” I said. “Thank you for rushing the results and for delivering the news personally.”

“Take care of yourself.”

I didn’t realize that I wasn’t alone until I ended the call and heard movement near the door. Martina’s expression was troubled, worried, as she came over to where I was sitting.

“‘Results?’”

The single word question told me that she hadn’t heard everything, but what she had heard had been enough to make her curious. While I didn’t like the idea of telling her before I told Eoin, I needed someone right now. Besides, I reasoned, it wasn’t as if Eoin didn’t know anything about what was going on.

“I’m pregnant.”

Nomight be. Noprobablyorpossibly.

I was pregnant.

“Damn.” Martina leaned against one of the shelves. “Is it Eoin’s?”

She obviously knew that he and I were dating, but she hadn’t known that he’d been the only one I’d ever had sex with, so her question made sense.

I nodded.

“Does he know?”

“Sort of,” I said. “I took a home test on Thursday and told him about that, but this was the confirmation from my doctor.”

She crouched in front of me and took my hands in hers. “What can I do? What do you need?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “This…blindsided me.”

She squeezed my hands. “Does Eoin know you had a blood test done?”

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